


blue and red and grey duvets

by FaultyParagon



Series: RWBY AUs [7]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Achilles' Heel, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Chemistry, College, Comedy, Drama, F/M, Fluff, Gen, House Party, Lab Partners, Mercury is clumsy af, Merkos, One Night Stands, One-Sided Attraction, One-sided Arkos, Partying, Rivalry, Romantic Comedy, University, and i love him for it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-01-25 08:28:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21353233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaultyParagon/pseuds/FaultyParagon
Summary: “Are you really going to keep saying that? I didn’t-““I saw what I saw. Prove me wrong, Nikos.”Modern AU. After an awkward night out, Mercury gets some dirt on Pyrrha, Nora gets hyped, Jaune is clueless, and Ruby is confused, as always. Pyrrha didn’t want any of this. She got it anyways. Arkos, Merkos.
Relationships: Jaune Arc & Pyrrha Nikos, Jaune Arc/Weiss Schnee, Mercury Black/Pyrrha Nikos, Pyrrha Nikos & Nora Valkyrie, Pyrrha Nikos & Ruby Rose
Series: RWBY AUs [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1690948
Comments: 25
Kudos: 12





	1. party

**Author's Note:**

> Another 1000-words-per-chapter challenge? Maybe. This is extremely rambling, I’m fully aware. My brain’s a little fried, so I’m dumping that weariness into this.

It was at that party that Pyrrha first saw him. At least, she _assumed _that she had first seen him at that party.

She couldn’t remember anything.

But with the sunlight spilling onto unfamiliar bedsheets, her head _pounding, _and shaggy blond hair poking up from underneath the same duvet as her just a few inches away from her nose, it was clear that something had gone awry at some point during the night.

How could this have happened?!

She hadn’t wanted to go, but Ruby had been bugging her about it for so long. “You promised, Pyrrha!” the younger insisted. “You’ve gotta come along.”

And Pyrrha had sighed, all biology-honour-student-wholesome-individual that she was, uncomfortable with the idea that she’d ever actually listen. Parties weren’t for her. She liked spending her Fridays in, after all- she always had assignments due at midnight because her professors were sadists. She didn’t want to risk losing marks by heading out to some frat house late at night, and not making it back home in time to submit her reflection on the day’s discussion.

But she loved Ruby Rose. Ruby was like the little sister she’d always wanted. Ruby had those giant silvery eyes, all watery and innocent and pleading. And, when combined with a wobbling lip- plus some reinforcement from Nora (because of _course _Nora would endorse going- she _always _wanted Pyrrha to go out and experience the ‘real uni life’, although the girl never even went to parties herself unless there was something big going on)- Pyrrha had eventually found herself wearing a pair of heels that were a little too high and a dress that felt a little too short, standing inside the foyer of Weiss Schnee’s house party, which she truly felt like she had no business to be at.

But that was then, and this was now. Pyrrha groaned, lifting herself up from the lumpy mattress. Other than one sleeve hanging low off her shoulder, she was still fully dressed, her legs itchy after wearing nylons all night. Absentmindedly, she squeezed her eyes shut, thinking back to the blond hair yet again. _That’s strange, _she thought, reaching over with eyes closed to tap the shape under the blanket. _When did I get a blue bedspread?_

But when she felt a firm shape groan under her touch, a body shifting and rolling over, she finally realized it. She _didn’t _own a blue duvet- hers was red and white.

_Oh no. _

The party had almost been too much for her from the get-go. Although she had been content to hide in a corner all night, Ruby had seen her, waving her over to where she and her sister Yang were perched around a pool table. The latter had posed over the table’s lip confidently, much to the joy of the men- and a few ladies- watching the match between her and Neptune. “Oh, you made it!” Ruby had squealed, giving her a hug. The girl struggled to balance on her heels- “Stupid lady stilts,” the younger kept bitterly groaning every time she lost balance- but other than that, she seemed to be having a great time.

And Pyrrha had giggled and smiled back, praying that her grin was convincing enough, and that Ruby would be appeased by seeing her present. _Maybe I can slip away _was the furtive thought repeating in her mind as Blake, Yang’s roommate, passed by on her way to sit with Ilia and the others, handing Pyrrha a can of something she wasn’t familiar with.

It’s not like Ruby would notice, right? Not with the air all hazy with smoke, filled with the raucous cheers and cries of movie-watchers and karaoke and the distant shouts of tired college students plunging into the backyard pool in a desperate attempt to forget that they all probably had papers due that upcoming week. She had glanced around, realizing just how in their own worlds everyone was. _Yeah, no one will notice. _

But with the drink in hand, she had thought it wouldn’t hurt to stay for a little while longer.

It had just been some weird cider, an odd aftertaste of plum lingering in the back of her throat no matter how much caramel popcorn she squirreled away from a communal bowl on a nearby table. Still, she finished it, almost relieved when the can tipped back all the way and no more alcohol came out.

_I’m free. I can go home. _

Clearly, she hadn’t.

Now that the understanding that this _definitely _wasn’t her home had set in, Pyrrha slipped clumsily out from under the duvet. She cursed internally as she stubbed her toe on the bedside table, and then aloud when she hit her toe a second time on an open guitar case. The resounding thud was muffled by a room filled with piles of clothes strewn about, walls covered with posters of comic book heroes, and unwashed dishes on every flat surface imaginable.

She almost gagged. How had she ended up here?

As she tugged on her shoes lying haphazardly by the doorframe, she glanced around frantically for her purse. It was thankfully nearby, lying underneath a jacket she had never seen before.

At least, she _thought _she hadn’t seen it.

The last thing she could remember was checking her phone. The clock onscreen had read 11PM, and she had grinned. At that time, the buses would still be working for a while yet- and, by then, she had seen and smiled at many of the other people she knew who lived on campus, so everyone knew she had been there. Her job was done.

But as she was leaving, Ruby had handed her another glass. “It’s really good!” the girl had insisted brightly, encouraging Pyrrha to try some. And she had been right- the drink had been _delicious. _Pyrrha couldn’t remember what it was. She couldn’t remember _anything else._

It didn’t matter now, though. Clearly, mistakes had been made. And, while she _thankfully _hadn’t done anything unsavoury, she still just needed to get out of there, ASAP.

Her heart froze. _Nora’s probably worried sick…_

Just as she was tugging on her jacket and reaching for the front doorknob, an amused voice called from a second bedroom, “Well, well, well… I was wondering who he brought over. He managed to nab _the _Pyrrha Nikos?”

She spun around, humiliation dying her cheeks as red as her tousled hair. Her words dried up in her throat, though, as she saw a familiar, sneering face, framed by messy, slate-grey hair. She knew that face.

“…Mercury?”

He smiled. Her stomach twisted. She never liked seeing his face- if she could, she wouldn’t see it ever again. Unfortunately, that wasn’t really an option. She was going to have to see that face bright and early on Monday morning, waiting for her at the lab station across from hers.

His grin was absolutely feral now. Innocently, he offered, “Would you like some coffee?”

She left without a word. Monday’s lab was not going to go well.

…and she still didn’t know who she had met at the party.


	2. pratfall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has become my ‘too-tired-to-write-anything-useful’ story. Enjoy the rambling, I suppose?

Was… was it really _Jaune Arc?_

That realization only struck her as she crossed the threshold of her apartment, just a few minutes off-campus by bus. Her heels were in one hand, the other fiddling with keys clumsily as she tried to hang the ring onto the hook by the front door.

She didn’t get a chance to actually put anything away before a body flew in from the living room, smothering her instantly. Despite her headache and her weariness, Pyrrha could react automatically, dropping everything to support her roommate’s weight in her arms. “I’m home,” she murmured, voice muffled by bright orange hair.

“Pyrrha Nikos, where the heck did you end up last night?!” Nora screeched, her tone a mix between accusatory, worried, and impressed.

Pyrrha sighed. This wasn’t going to be easy.

She was right. Nora’s first impression- that Pyrrha had ‘finally gotten laid’ that night, much to her horror and embarrassment- wasn’t helped by the fact that the redhead let slip the name of her long-time crush when Nora finally asked where she’d spent the night. Despite that, however, the shorter girl’s exuberant cheers and teasing tone quickly dimmed, the girl transforming into a mothering hen before Pyrrha’s very eyes once she realized how unhappy Pyrrha was.

“I can’t remember how I ended up there.” Pyrrha slumped over at their dining table.

Nora rubbed her back. “It’s okay, no one saw-“

“Mercury Black did.”

A sharp intake of breath. “…Tell me if I need to kill him.”

And Pyrrha smiled, because Nora loved her more than anything (well, not more than her boyfriend Ren, but it was close) and Nora wasn’t kidding when she said she’d fight Mercury Black to defend her honour. However, no bodies would turn up on her account, if Pyrrha had her way- so, she flashed Nora a quick smile, then left to take a shower. The sticky air from the party still clung onto her skin, her nylons still too warm.

She could still feel Mercury’s eyes still lingering on her.

She got rid of her dress faster than she thought possible, eager to get away from it all.

But as the heat of her pathetic excuse of a shower began to wash over her, Pyrrha’s thoughts drifted off back to the blond hair she had seen tucked underneath blue blankets. How in the world had she ended up in Jaune Arc’s bed?

…it _was _Jaune, right?

She didn’t know how to feel.

After all, she had been pining after the blond secretly (well, as secretly as one _could _pine, with Nora Valkyrie privy to everything that happened in that class) for two months; ever since Pyrrha had seen him trip flat onto his face as he walked down the steps towards the lectern during a break, ready to ask their Statistics professor a question.

It had looked painful. He had come up, crimson cheeks contrasting with his hair terribly. He had tripped on the way back up, too, and eventually had given up on speaking to the prof, choosing instead to just shuffle back to his seat.

Something about his sheer innocent clumsiness had won Pyrrha over. Nora blamed it on the Pratfall Effect- Pyrrha called it nothing. She had never known what to call it. She had never intended on ever speaking to him, after all.

And yet, now, she had ended up in his bed. The mere thought of it was enough to reduce her to a crouched, curled-up ball on her shower floor. This wasn’t like her. None of this was like her.

How had she ended up at his place?

She just wanted to know. But how could she ask? She’d never even spoken to Jaune Arc before.

That worry and fear and isolation gnawed at her through the rest of the weekend, no matter how much she tried to push the thoughts away. Going through Nora’s social media, there was little evidence of Pyrrha’s presence at the party, meaning that she clearly hadn’t done anything too publicly-terrible.

However, Pyrrha did manage to find one picture of herself as she scrolled through peoples’ feeds. She, with her long red ponytail, was tucked into the corner, nothing more than a background player in a photograph of Ruby and Yang. The alarming thing was that she wasn’t alone- by her side was a man, his arm slung around her waist. She couldn’t see his face in the photo, but under the purple glow cast by Weiss’ faerie lights, his hair was clearly a lighter colour. It could’ve been Jaune.

Speaking to Ruby on Monday morning, however, dashed those hopes into nothing. As they stood in the student lounge in the heart of Beacon University’s main Learning Commons, the younger girl squeaked, “But I thought you went home early that night!”

Ren, who was heating up an early lunch for Nora using the row of tired microwaves on the counter, instantly cut in. “Ruby,” he warned lowly, “lower your voice.”

Pyrrha’s heart swelled. Ren was one rock she could always count on to understand what she needed.

Nora shrugged, leaning happily against the counter. The orange-haired girl was still wearing her gumboots from her early-morning ecology lab, having trekked out into the wilderness for a few hours with her class. Pyrrha watched as the other girl tapped a muddied toe against the plain white tiled floor, leaving a dark smudge, much to Ren’s chagrin. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Nora insisted. “Besides, you didn’t actually do anything.”

“That’s right!” Ruby chirped, flashing Pyrrha a bright smile. “Besides, no one’s gonna know that you went home with Jaune-“

“Pyrrha, you went home with someone? Who’s Jaune- oh, the guy who keeps tripping in Stats?”

Pyrrha wanted to curl up into a ball and die as Penny Polendina’s clueless, innocent voice ran through the room, eliciting curious stares and shocked expressions from all those who heard.

Ruby was immediately there to soften the damage caused by her unknowing friend. “Not like anything _happened,_ right, Penny?” she announced loudly, rushing up to the other girl. Under her breath, she insisted, “Penny, _you can’t say that, be quiet!”_

“Say what?” the other girl replied. Ruby groaned, but Pyrrha merely flashed her a kind smile. Penny didn’t mean any harm- she was one of the sweetest people Pyrrha had ever met.

Inside, though, she was collapsing. Most of the students in the lounge were in her other classes. They _all _had heard those words.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw familiar grey hair, and an amused, coy smile. She turned back to the microwaves.

She should’ve just stayed at home Friday night, huh?


	3. pipettes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back! I think this shall be the work I finish next, now that _Inked_ is done. Gotta cross them all off the list and get 'em over with, y'know?

Despite the attempt to slip away from the prying eyes of her peers, by the time Pyrrha arrived at her four-hour lab class that day, the entirety of her cohort knew what had happened on Friday night. No matter how much she wanted to pretend it had all been just a bad dream, the look of confused pity from Professor Goodwitch as she entered the laboratory was enough to confirm that even_ she_ had heard what had happened.

It stung, still. She was the top of their class. She never meant to project any image of herself other than the dedicated student.

_I want to go home._

But labs were mandatory. No one could miss any of them- the amount of make-up work involved in missing a lab had once led her to attend class even with a horrible flu. She couldn’t justify missing one in order to save her pride, no madly how badly bruised it ended up.

She certainly _thought _about it, however, as Mercury stepped into the lab, settling into his usual spot on the other side of the workbench, facing Pyrrha. “So,” he murmured airily as they both opened up their lab manuals and set up their equipment, “you really did have a busy weekend, huh?”

“Nothing happened, Mercury,” she replied, deadpan. Although she was normally so good at maintaining a pleasant demeanor, she just couldn’t around him. “You should know that better than anyone.”

The grey-haired boy simply grinned, shrugging as he slid on a pair of gloves in order to handle the initial reagents they were to use that day. “I dunno, my roommate seemed pretty embarrassed when I asked-“

“What did he say?” she cut in, despite herself.

He narrowed his eyes, hand pausing in midair as he scrutinized her sudden outburst. “…You say that like you don’t know.”

It was in that moment that she realized she had made a mistake.

Three minutes later, and Mercury still wasn’t letting her off easy. “Mercury, hand me the box.”

The boy refused to pass over the box of disposable pipette tips. “Not until you give me full details.”

“Are you really going to keep saying that? I didn’t-“

“I saw what I saw. Prove me wrong, Nikos.”

She didn’t respond.

“I’ll introduce you to him. Wouldn’t it be better to do that when sober?”

She didn’t need to respond, thankfully. Weiss Schnee, of all people, passed by behind Mercury, swiping the box and setting it beside Pyrrha. “Ignore him,” the pale girl intoned, just as haughty as usual. However, there was a frustration in her eyes that Pyrrha didn’t recognize.

Quietly, she grabbed the pipette attachment she needed before Mercury could take the box away. Before she began working, however, she followed Weiss to the girl’s workstation. “Hey, are you alright?”

Weiss raised a perfectly sculpted brow at Pyrrha’s concern, but didn’t shoo her away. “Ruby told me what happened,” she murmured quietly. “Penny’s kind of a weirdo. I don’t get why people are believing in what she said.”

“She didn’t realize it wasn’t the best place to say that,” Pyrrha chided gently. “I don’t mind.”

“It’s still stupid that people thing you’d go for _Jaune Arc, _of all people,” Weiss spat. “He’s a moron. You’re with me at the top of the class- you can do _way _better, Pyrrha.”

Despite the conflicting emotions immediately rising within her chest (how did Weiss know Jaune? Why did her words hold so much venom? Did Jaune have a reputation? _What did I get myself into…_) she decided to simply smile. Weiss didn’t mean any harm- not to _Pyrrha, _at least.

When she made it back to her station, however, Mercury was waiting with that same cocky grin. “Oh Miss Nikos, won’t you tell me more about how you want to get to know my idiot roommate?”

Pyrrha simply sighed, shook her head, and waved her TA over to double-check the vacuum seal setup she had built for her distillation. At the very least, judging by how her TA’s face lit up seeing her equations, setup and understanding of the lab, she would get another stellar mark on that week’s project.

Mercury may have been intrusive and needling most days, but even he could tell when she wanted to be left alone. With a knowing smirk, the boy eventually quieted down, focusing on his own distillation. So, Pyrrha was able to work in peace on her own lab.

Four hours passed by in a flash of time, and before she knew it, all of her glassware had been cleaned and inspected and she had finished tucking her lab coat into her locker down the hall. As she made her way to her next class, Mercury found his way to her side. “I’m expecting updates, Nikos,” he teased wickedly.

Before she could reply, however, he split off, heading to the Commerce building across campus. She sighed, pausing on the sidewalk to watch his retreating figure disappear into the crowd of busy students running to their next classes. Why did Mercury care so much about her and Jaune? He didn’t like her, nor did he like Jaune, based on the way he was acting- so why did it matter to him what she thought of his roommate?

_Probably just wants to gossip. I would do well to ignore it. _So, she ran off to her next class- Statistics.

The fact that this was the class which she shared with Jaune didn’t cross her mind as she slid into her usual seat in the front of the class next to Nora. In fact, after her bizarre lab with Mercury, she didn’t even register which class she was in until a blond figure stumbled and dropped a bag into the one seat beside her, clearly out of breath. On instinct, she moved her bag to give her new neighbour more room- usually, it was just her and Nora in the front, but she didn’t mind having someone join them as long as they didn’t chatter-

But this person, as it turned out, was Jaune.

Pyrrha almost dropped her coffee, feeling heat rush into her cheeks, head spinning lightly as she watching the boy clumsily drop into the seat next to her. She felt Nora nudge her elbow into Pyrrha’s side, her barely-contained voice squealing, “Oh my god, he’s here. Talk! Say hello! Go, Pyrrha, go-“

Jaune was oblivious. He didn’t notice her confusion or shock- with narrowed eyes, he was far too focused on trying to make out what was written on the introduction slide of their professor’s slideshow presentation. Based on the squinting and exaggeratedly-distressed facial expressions he kept making, it was clear he was having little success.

After fifteen minutes, Pyrrha finally leaned over. “Hey- can you see the screen?”

Jaune immediately blushed, the tips of his growing red in a way that made Pyrrha instinctively melt. He muttered clumsily, “I couldn’t find my contacts this morning. How did- can you tell?”

Pyrrha simply smiled. “If you want, you can take a picture of my notes after class.”

The blond’s face lit up tenfold, a smile bursting onto his lips without hesitation. “Really?”

She nodded, murmuring, “I don’t mind. It’s fine.”

As the professor continued droning on in the dimly-lit lecture hall, she heard the blond whisper, “What’s your name, by the way?”

She blushed, grateful yet again for the dark room to hide her embarrassment. “Pyrrha.” As her name left her lips, however, she immediately froze.

Did… did Jaune even know what had happened last night? Did Mercury tell Jaune her name? Did Jaune even _know _her?

Judging by the toothy grin he gave her, illuminated by the light of the giant slideshow reflecting off the lecture screen, he didn’t know.

_Then who actually knows about what happened that night?_

She just wanted answers. The rest of that lecture was spent pensively, her professor’s words nothing more than a droning in her ear and Jaune’s heat too close by her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment and let me know what you think!


	4. pretty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halfway through this story!

“Oh, you’re Ruby’s friend, right?”

Pyrrha’s head snapped over to look at Jaune in surprise. “Um… yeah. How did you-“

“She talks about you all the time!” Jaune replied cheerily as he packed up his backpack. Standing up and slinging it clumsily over his shoulder, he stretched, the action exaggerated by his baggy hoodie. “I was trying to figure out all class how I knew that name.” When the lights finally flickered back on and the students began to file out, however, Jaune paused, looking thoughtfully at Pyrrha’s face.

She paused, fighting to keep herself calm under his scrutiny. “What’s the matter?” she asked, cursing herself when her voice came out far too high to be casual.

Jaune merely frowned, lost in thought. “I feel like I recognize you from somewhere…”

Nora poked her head out from behind Pyrrha as she stood up as well, ready to leave. “Pyrrha’s pretty great and recognizable. You probably saw her in lecture before,” she offered, a wicked grin on her face. Pyrrha’s heart sank- that expression on Nora was never good.

“Maybe that’s it,” Jaune hummed.

Nora continued, “Yup. And she’s pretty hot, too, so why wouldn’t you-“

“_And we’re going to go now!_” Pyrrha squeaked, hooking her arm through Nora’s and dragging her friend away from Jaune. Waving at the blond, she added, “Let me know if you ever need notes! Good luck finding your contacts!”

Jaune’s face split into a grateful grin. “Thanks, Pyrrha!”

As the door to the large lecture hall closed behind them, Nora began tugging her arm to get her attention, utterly overcome with glee. “Oh my god, Pyrrha, you did it! You talked to him!”

“Please stop,” the redhead groaned. “I don’t know if it’s possible to be more embarrassed.”

Nora merely cackled, squeezing her arm tight as they headed towards the lounge to meet Ren. “He didn’t look like he recognized you, though- I wonder what happened that night?”

Pyrrha shrugged heavily. It was true. Jaune’s face had betrayed no recognition. It was clear he didn’t remember her- normally, with her hair and bright eyes and tall stature, people rarely forgot her. It seemed that Jaune didn’t know how she had ended up in his bed, either.

“Look, all that matters is that nothing happened,” Pyrrha murmured, feeling flushed just from the mere memory of that Saturday morning. “We’ll just keep it at that.” At the very least, Jaune knew who she was now. Her phone buzzed in her pocket- taking it out, she saw a notification of Jaune adding her on social media. Nora hooted and cheered at that development, and Pyrrha could only blush- she had a connection to him, now. Even if Weiss didn’t have the best opinion of him, and even if he was clumsy, Pyrrha still thought the blond was adorable.

Maybe now, she actually had a chance with him.

_…I really want to know what happened, though._

And, as it turned out, so did Mercury.

Her next lab with him was immediately met with the same derisive comments as the week before. While their lab instructor went over the procedure and the pre-lab questions to ensure that everyone knew the safety guidelines for the day’s reagents, the boy kept murmuring under his breath little comments that were setting her on edge with every word.

“Jaune told me he met a pretty redhead in class. I’m guessing it was you- did you tell him you slept with him? Did he remember you? What happened?” he kept repeating.

Pyrrha sighed, merely concentrating on her TA’s demonstration of solvent removal using pressurization. His comments and mocking questions eventually ceased due to her lack of reaction, and she was soon able to set forth on the day’s experiment.

Once the initial reaction was well on its way, leaving her a few minutes to wait while the mixture heated, Mercury said something which piqued her interest. “You’re welcome for hiding his contacts, by the way.”

Pyrrha froze, eyes wide as she glanced up across the workbench. Mercury was watching her through the top of his safety goggles, a knowing smirk playing across thin lips. “You _didn’t._”

With a self-satisfied sigh, Mercury pulled off a glove and ran his fingers through his hair, almost posing triumphantly for Pyrrha. “I didn’t hear a ‘thank you’,” he mused. “You wanted a chance to meet him, and I gave you one. He’s blind without them, and the idiot broke his glasses a while back.” He snorted, eyes twinkling as he slipped his glove back on and jotted down some observation notes into his manual. “I _knew _you were the type of nerd to sit at the very front of the lecture hall. You’re welcome.”

She propped a hand on her hip, a mix of emotions surging through her. On one hand, she was utterly flabbergasted. What kind of gall did Mercury possess in order to do such a thing? Why would he ever think that _stealing Jaune’s contacts _would be a bright idea?

On the other hand, though… Jaune had sat with her a second time in Statistics the week before. He still couldn’t find his contact lenses, he had said mournfully. But, rather than being silent in lecture, he had made silly comments throughout their professor’s monotone lesson, getting her and Nora to giggle and gossip so lightheartedly that Nora had decided she’d introduce Jaune to Ren later. “He’s a good kid,” Nora had proclaimed over dinner that evening.

So, if Mercury was to thank for all that… “I don’t approve of the method- that was really mean of you- but… thanks, Mercury,” she said quietly as she moved onto the next step in her lab.

Mercury clearly hadn’t been expecting actual gratitude, nearly dropping his hot flask at her comment. Staring up at her, wide-eyed, brows rising in surprise, it took him a moment to recover. When he did, however, Pyrrha noted something strange in his voice- a softness. “…don’t worry about it, Nikos. You meeting that idiot might get him out of the house more often. It’s… it’s for me, not you.”

While she didn’t reply, she couldn’t deny that for the rest of the lab, she had a smile on her face.

Mercury followed through on that sentiment. The next Statistics class she had with Jaune, there was a small assignment to be completed in groups. Jaune mentioned that, “someone had encouraged him to meet new people,” so he joined Pyrrha and Nora for the assignment. Pyrrha had bitten back internal screams whilst Nora agreed wholeheartedly to include him, leading to three major revelations for Pyrrha:

  1. Based on what he sent in their group chat for the project, Jaune actually was _not _the brightest. Still sweet, though.
  2. His roommate, meaning Mercury, of all people, had been the one to encourage him to join Pyrrha’s group. Pyrrha didn’t know what that meant.
  3. All too late, Pyrrha realized that during lab, Mercury had both inadvertently called her pretty, and had stopped harassing her about what had happened that night she ended up at his apartment.

It had been a weird few weeks for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment if you're reading along! I'd love to hear from y'all.


	5. partners

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell I miss university science labs? Sad times. Now my biggest science experiments are testing baking recipes… alas.

It was almost a good thing that she only had Statistics twice a week- it gave Pyrrha's heart time to rest between her times with Jaune. The boy triggered something in her that she had never felt before. Nora described it as true love, Ruby said it was the start of a great friendship, and Ren said each time that Nora brought Jaune up that Pyrrha acted like she was the blond's mother.

Pyrrha didn't know how to categorize how she felt about the blond. She was often perceived as too serious, too stern, too academic- people tended to be wary of speaking to her, since she focused so singularly on school. Aside from her group of friends stemming from Nora and Ruby, she wasn't exactly the most popular person in the world. She was too timid to ever be that, anyways.

However, Jaune smiled at her in such a warm, welcoming way that whenever she was with him, Pyrrha felt _normal. _Average. Like just another college student going through the motions and having a good time despite it all. He made her smile.

Oddly enough, though, the tiny thought at the back of her mind which continued to bother her centered on Mercury, of all people. Before the party, he had just been the guy (to quote Nora, the 'absolute douche') who had sneered at her and mocked her for her studiousness each lab session from across their workbench. After the last lab, however, she couldn't help but feel a bit more open towards the boy.

After all, he had made it possible to speak to Jaune, an otherwise Herculean task for the shy redhead.

Perhaps that was the reason for which, when in their chemistry lab the next week, Pyrrha didn't hesitate to share her workstation with Mercury. His own had gotten messed up after another lab session in the same room, leaving some of his equipment useless until the department fixed it. In light of that, when her TA asked her to share her workspace, she didn't fight it at all.

Mercury was also surprised by the ease with which she shuffled her things over and made room for him. "You're really okay with that, Nikos?" he asked, eyebrow raised and gaze suspicious.

She shrugged. "I've already gotten most of the lab done- I just need to run all my analyses, so I'll be in the IR room. You still need to go through the next distillation, right?" She unlocked her drawer of beakers and tools. "If you need extra glassware, use mine- just don't break it, and clean it after, please."

Mercury blinked at her, taking in her generosity blankly. Finally, he said, "You're being awfully cooperative. Did something happen, Nikos?"

There was genuine concern underneath the veneer of baffled scorn. While she might not have picked up on it a few weeks earlier, she recognized it now, and she immediately dropped her gaze to the lab manual and sample product in her hands. "I don't know why you're so stuck on Jaune and I, but… you're not that bad, Mercury," she admitted at last, scurrying away into the next room in the lab. She needed to run some tests on her product to measure its purity. So, she focused on that, ignoring the little voice in her head that kept repeating the same question over and over while she worked.

_Why did you say that to him?_

At the end of that lab session, he had finished his product and his analyses, and the two of them ended up being allowed to leave the lab early. However, that only came after their TA handed them a booklet each outlining the next week's project. "It'll be a partner lab," the man explained. "You two can work together if you like- you just have to choose someone in my TA section to work with."

Pyrrha's eyes flashed over to Weiss, who was pouting as she looked over her own set of instructions. The pale girl generally tended to ask Pyrrha to join her for partner labs, since they were the top students in the class. Pyrrha wasn't a fan of working with her- the girl tended to be a little competitive for no apparent reason, and it stressed Pyrrha out during their already-condensed lab sessions- so she wasn't personally too affected. If they could only choose someone supervised by their specific TAs, however, they wouldn't be able to work together this time.

"Does that mean there's only one lab report to submit?" Mercury asked, flipping through the instructions lazily.

Their TA nodded, then ushered the two out- if they weren't wearing lab coats any longer, they needed to leave.

Pyrrha sighed, glancing at Mercury through her lashes. She knew the boy was quite smart, likely landing just below her and Weiss. And, based on the stellar condition of her glassware after he had used it, he was conscientious enough to do well as a work partner. "Would you like to work together?" she offered as they walked down the hall.

Mercury snorted immediately. "What, you wanna use to me to get to my roommate?"

"It's not that!" she protested, appalled by the insinuation. "We- I can't work with Weiss, so who else can I ask?"

"Wow, I just _love _being a last resort." The grey-haired boy rolled his eyes, but the smirk on his face softened into an actual smile, his dark eyes creasing in mirth.

Pyrrha felt her face heat up in indignation. "It's not that!" she cried. "Just- partners, or no? We need to do this pre-experiment workbook, so…"

By then, they were outside. "I've gotta head to class," Mercury intoned, jabbing his thumb towards the Commerce building in the distance. "Econ. Have fun with Jaune."

She frowned, fighting back her embarrassment to cry, "When will we-"

"I'll text you, Nikos. Chill out for a bit, relax! Go flirt with my roommate!" Mercury called, waving leisurely to her as he began walking to his next class.

When Pyrrha finally arrived at her Stats class, Nora pointed out how flushed her cheeks were. "You're matching your hair, Pyrrha- thinking of a special someone?" the girl teased, winking aggressively before Jaune arrived to fill the empty chair beside the redhead.

Pyrrha's smile was strained. "Stop it, Nora," she chuckled weakly, pulling out her tablet to continue working on her assignment with the group. Pyrrha could feel the heat in her face permeating all the way through her body. Was it from embarrassment over what Mercury had said, or the fact that she was going to get to spend time with Jaune again that class?

Or was it because of the fact that Mercury's voice had been teasing and friendly and bright, for the first time since meeting him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment, let me know what you think!


	6. project

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only a few more chapters left after this! Short-format fics are a nice break.

The assignment with Jaune and Nora was going surprisingly well, all things considered. As it turned out, Jaune really struggled with any kind of math- he was much better and memorizing genealogies and ecology-related questions. "It's like lore in a game," he admitted one day when Nora prodded him on how he had managed to pull off a great mark in one of their Ecology courses, versus the absolute gong show which was his Stats record. "It's so much easier to memorize that stuff than… how to use numbers for… stuff."

Pyrrha simply sighed, shaking her head ruefully. Jaune had his own strengths, and that was alright. She didn't mind pulling a bit more of the weight in the assignment if it meant she could spend time with him. The blond was sweet to her- he texted her funny memes constantly, and every time he saw her his smile would grow. At the very least, Pyrrha knew that she had quickly carved out a niche in Jaune's heart that only she could fill, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Nora and Ruby were loving it. The former had finally swung Ruby over to her side, and the two young women were constantly pestering Pyrrha for updates on her 'relationship' with Jaune. It was excessive, but it certainly made the redhead smile- seeing her friends be so supportive of her budding friendship with Jaune was comforting.

Perhaps it had all been going too well for Pyrrha. On the day their assignment was due, the trio was seated in the student lounge within the Learning Commons, poring over page after page of calculations and spreadsheets and write-ups. Out of the corner of Pyrrha's eye, she spotted a familiar short figure, so she waved them over with a smile. "Ruby!" she called, scooting aside to make more room at their table. "Come join us!"

Ruby happily obliged with her sister Yang and Weiss in tow. "Hey guys!" she chirped, sliding into the seat next to Jaune. "What're you all up to?"

Nora groaned, plopping her head onto her arms dramatically. "Stats," she moaned, pushing her laptop away from her. "I'm done. I'm over it."

Pyrrha traded an amused glance with Jaune. To her surprise, the boy's cheeks were tinged pink, a nervousness appearing in his gaze. Pushing it out of her mind for a moment, she turned to Ruby. "We've got this project due today," she explained to the other girls. "It's been quite a bit of work."

Weiss, who had remained standing, crossed her arms and leaned in over Pyrrha's shoulder to look at the various sheets they were all putting together, an appreciative smile on her lips. She tucked some of her fine hair behind an ear, the epitome of poised and graceful in the motion. "I'm impressed, Pyrrha," she said coyly. "I wish I could work with you in our lab for next week, but oh well."

"Who did you end up partnering with?" Pyrrha asked.

Immediately, the pale girl straightened up and sighed, the weight of the world seemingly upon her shoulders. "Sage. It'll be fine." Before she could elaborate, she checked her phone, a scowl appearing on her lips. Gesturing to Ruby and Yang, she said, "Look, I've gotta go to office hours for Professor Port. I'll see you two later."

"Have fun!" Ruby called behind her, waving goodbye cheerily.

Yang smacked the table, a good-natured, relaxed grin on her face. "Ruby and I'll head out too. Gotta meet Blake for lunch. Good luck on your project!"

Flashing the sisters a smile, the trio went back to working on their project.

Once they got back into the rhythm of things, however, it was clear that Jaune's mind was anywhere but their assignment. "Is something the matter, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked gently. "You look a little out of it."

That seemed to dispel the odd silence cloaking Jaune. He perked up, surprise and embarrassment painting his face. "Oh, I- I'm good!" he squeaked. "I'm good."

Nora glanced at Pyrrha, suspicion clear on her face. "That's the words of someone who's _not _good, mister," she stated firmly. "Alright. Spill it."

Jaune glanced between the two girls, clearly debating whether he should push back. Eventually, it seemed that he decided to give up and share what was on his mind. "It's… Weiss," he mumbled, eyes dropping to his lap.

Pyrrha's heart began to sink. She didn't let it show, however. "Um… what about her?" she asked, trying to mask her increasing dread.

Jaune flushed. "I've wanted to ask her out since _forever._"

Nora's eyes turned wide and worried, darting back and forth between Pyrrha and Jaune. "Have you told her?!" she cried.

The blond shrugged, closing his laptop lid. "I tried once," he admitted after a moment's hesitation, "but she turned me down. I've just never really gotten over it, I guess." A bitter, yet sheepish smile remained on his face. "I still like her."

_I still like her._

"Oh." It took a moment for Pyrrha to process the information which slammed into her like a freight truck. Jaune cared about Weiss? He had asked her out before? Was that why Weiss was so unimpressed with the idea that Pyrrha could have feelings for him?

So what had all of the signs over the past few weeks led up to- nothing?

_You're just good friends, _the logical part of her mind concluded.

Sensing her discomfort, Jaune reopened his laptop. "It's all good! Don't worry about it. I'll get over it eventually- or like, maybe I'll ask her out again. Who knows?" His tone was falsely cheery, the voice of someone who had already gotten their heart thoroughly broken.

"You're a sweet guy," Pyrrha found herself saying despite the turmoil within. "I'm sure that, given time, Weiss will see that."

The way Jaune beamed at her both melted her heart and shattered it. "Thanks, Pyrrha. You're awesome."

Nora, who had been watching the whole exchange in growing horror, finally interjected. "Y'know what? I'm hungry. You hungry? I'm hungry." Tugging Pyrrha's arm, she dragged the redhead to her feet. "I'm taking Pyrrha with me. Jaune, you want anything? I'll get you something for guarding our stuff while we go."

Just like that, Jaune's demeanor shifted. Brightly, he begged, "A cookie from the corner store!"

Nora gave him a thumbs up before dragging Pyrrha away, squeezing the redhead's arm comfortingly while they walked. "It's okay, Pyrrha. If he really wants to like someone stuck-up like Weiss-"

"Nora," Pyrrha chided on instinct.

"-then that's fine. She's pretty. But you're better." Large, pale blue eyes looked up at Pyrrha dolefully. "You know that, right?"

Pyrrha smiled, giving her best friend a one-armed hug while they headed to the nearby corner store. "Thanks, Nora. I'll be fine."

She had to be. They had a project to finish, after all. She could deal with the numb frustration later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!


	7. perception

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost done this fic! So close.

It was a silly sentiment, to be sure. She knew that there was absolutely no reason for Jaune to notice her. After all, weeks after the party, he still didn’t know that she had woken up in his bed- Mercury had clearly never mentioned her by name. Whether he just truly managed to ignore all their peers, or his head was truly up in the clouds, she didn’t know- but either way, Jaune’s feelings for Weiss were valid, and she had no right to butt into that.

Nora didn’t agree. Pyrrha just laughed- Nora was angry _for _her out of solidarity, not out of actual frustration. Jaune had quickly become their friend, after all, and it was hard to hate him when it was clear there was no ill-intent behind his words whatsoever.

Thankfully, their group assignment was submitted, so Pyrrha had the weekend to focus on the next thing on her agenda- her project with Mercury. True to his word, the boy messaged her that evening to set up a work period. “You can come to my place and hang out with Jaune,” he offered teasingly. “You seemed so comfortable-“

“No way, Mercury,” she replied calmly, rolling her eyes as she typed back her responses. “Main library?”

After a little more needling, the boy finally agreed to meet her in the study rooms of Beacon’s central library that Friday afternoon. She didn’t have the heart to tell Mercury what she had learned about Jaune, so each good-natured jab stung a little more than it should have. _Mercury doesn’t know, _she kept telling herself as she lay down in her bed, snuggling under her red and white bedspread. _It’s fine._

When the day of their meetup arrived, she found a little study table in the corner of the library and waited for the boy to get out of one of his Commerce classes. Ruby had joined her at the start, a glum expression on her face while she kept the redhead company. “I don’t know why Jaune’s into Weiss,” Ruby murmured after Pyrrha finished explaining what had happened. “She’s my friend, and she’s awesome! But she’s not the nicest to him.”

“But why?”

“He asked her out in a really corny way when we lived together in the same building in first year. She’s never really let him live it down. I didn’t think he was still interested…”

Pyrrha shrugged. “I mean, it’s not the end of the world. I got a little ahead of myself. I should’ve expected it.”

Ruby pouted, resting her chin on the table and looking up at Pyrrha with wide eyes. “Mmkay. Still… oh well.” Checking the time, she added, “I’ve gotta go to class soon- good luck on your lab!” After she stood up and gathered her backpack, she leaned in to Pyrrha and whispered, “Mercury’s nice to you, right? Weiss said he was bugging you about Jaune.”

Pyrrha waved off the concern. “He’s calmed down about it. Don’t worry about me, go to class!”

The younger girl smiled and waved goodbye, heading towards the library’s exit, leaving Pyrrha to her own devices. She laid out her notes neatly on the table, but strangely enough, she couldn’t find her actual lab manual.

Amidst her search for the thick text, a figure finally approached her table. Glancing up, Pyrrha was taken aback in surprise as she examined the boy dropping his bag on the ground by the other chair.

Mercury, who was a little windswept and out of breath (_Did... did he run here? He didn’t need to…_), was dressed up in a classy, well-fitted three-piece suit. While she had never really thought about it in depth- Nora had always joked that Pyrrha was a one-track woman, and her mind had been focused on Jaune for longer than she’d like to admit- Mercury was actually quite handsome, especially dressed like that. He looked debonair and professional, so unlike the cocky figure swaddled in a lab coat which she normally saw.

“You’re awfully dressed up,” she commented lightly as the boy settled into his seat, pulling out his own laptop.

Mercury raised a brow, a small smirk pulling his lips. “Presentation in my Marketing class,” he explained dryly, unbuttoning his suit jacket. “We always have to overdress for them.”

“How did it go?”

He shrugged airily. “It went fine. What could go wrong?” Leaning forward, he asked, “Why? Worried about me, Nikos?” Instantly, the redhead sighed, sending a deadpan gaze his way. Mercury simply chuckled and began skimming through the pre-experiment questions. He added, “I’ll take the second section if you can get the first?”

She sighed, finally giving up on her discreet search in her backpack. “Honestly, I’ve been a little scatterbrained lately,” she confessed, “and I think I left my manual at home.”

Mercury looked almost impressed. “I didn’t think you even _knew _how to be unprepared. Damn.”

She felt herself flush a little, dropping her eyes back down to her computer. “It’s fine,” she insisted. “I can copy down everything into it later- I have my notes here, at least.”

A flash of concern entered his dark eyes. “…Hey. Is something going on? You good?”

She nodded, smiling despite herself at his concern. “It’s fine,” she said reassuringly. “Let’s get started?”

Mercury didn’t budge, however, eyes narrowed as he examined her expression methodically. After a few moments, he finally muttered, “Did Jaune do something?”

“Of course not,” she replied. She immediately winced- her answer had been far too quick, far too rushed.

The suspicion didn’t leave Mercury’s eyes even as Pyrrha hurriedly redirected their attention back to their lab, but he didn’t press her further. So, the two of them were able to spend the rest of the afternoon working quietly across from one another, occasionally exchanging banter and asking each other questions to get the two halves of the project pieced together. Pyrrha was surprised to see just how easy it was to talk to Mercury, now that he wasn’t being a pest- the boy was witty and sharp, totally unlike the brazen, open lovingness of Nora and Ruby or the quietude of Ren or the clumsy humour of Jaune.

By the time evening fell, they were mostly finished the project. The hint of concern in Mercury’s eyes never left no matter what conversation took place, however, culminating in a clumsy parting at the bus loop afterwards. “You’re not that bad, Nikos. If my roommate said some shit-“

“Jaune didn’t do anything, Mercury,” she insisted. “He’s sweet.”

His expression made his distaste for his roommate clear, but he didn’t press further.

Despite being a frustrating thorn in her side since the start of the semester, something had clearly changed in Mercury Black and how he regarded Pyrrha. The extent of his frustration was only made clear to the redhead the next week, however, when Jaune showed up for lunch Monday afternoon with one mournful question: “Does anyone know of someone looking for a new roommate? Mine’s pissed off at me, and I don’t know why.”

Nora and Pyrrha slowly processed the question in tandem. “Um,” Nora began slowly, “since when did he want you to move out?”

Jaune pouted, plopping himself into his chair wearily. “I don’t know! He just was an ass this weekend. He’s been weird since he went to this party at the beginning of the month…”

_Wait… a party? _

Nora looked at Pyrrha questioningly. “Did Mercury go to the party too?” she whispered into Pyrrha’s ear while Jaune pulled out his lunch. “Did you see him there?”

Pyrrha didn’t. _I have questions. _

And she was going to get her answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment if you're reading along :)


	8. peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! Another teeny fic crossed off the list. I hope you had a good time with this silly little story!  
Let me know what you think :)

Pyrrha couldn't wrap her head around it all. "Were _you _at the party, Jaune?"

The blond shook his head while he packed up his water bottle. "Nope- my sister was visiting that weekend so I got home really late. Besides," he added, a blush creeping up onto his cheeks, "it was Weiss' party, right? I don't think she'd really want me to go."

Nora's jaw was still stuck to the floor. "Wait- so- what- you- did you go home that weekend?" the girl spluttered.

Jaune nodded. "Yup. My sis Saph always makes me drink with her whenever something happens at work. It's… rough." He laughed resignedly. "Don't really remember how I got home, but I got there!" Finally, he seemed to notice the shared confusion between the girls. "Why?"

Pyrrha didn't respond, instead allowing Nora to make up a light answer and wave goodbye to Jaune while they headed to their next class, giving the redhead time to think.

She didn't find any answers, the questions still plaguing her mind when she finally managed to speak to Mercury in an empty classroom in the Learning Commons that evening. "So what _really _happened, Mercury?" she demanded.

The boy in question backed up a little, startled by the sudden interrogation. When he realized what she was talking about- in his defense, she had just asked him to meet up without context- he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose while Pyrrha stared him down. "Look, I don't know-"

"No, Mercury. You do." Pyrrha stepped closer, straightening herself up. She was just as tall as he was, staring him down with no remorse. "You want Jaune to move out halfway through the semester- did he do something?"

He said nothing.

"Jaune said you've been acting weird since you went to a party this month. Tell me more about that."

Mercury's expression hardened, but Pyrrha could see the mental gymnastics going on behind his eyes as he found the proper response. Finally, he let out a long, heavy breath, shrugging his shoulders almost disdainfully. "I've never been a fan of the kid- you know that."

"That doesn't answer my questions, Mercury," she insisted.

The boy pressed his lips into a hard line, a clear sign that he didn't want to discuss this further. Pyrrha felt her shoulders slump, his stubbornness winning out over her energy. _Maybe going to find him after eight hours of class was a bad idea, _she thought mournfully, the fatigue from the long day wearing on her. She hadn't been thinking much when she had messaged him during her last class to meet up- she had been too focused on figuring out what had gone on over the past few weeks.

Seeing her tiredness, however, Mercury's expression softened. "Look," he murmured at last, "Jaune told me about his stupid little crush on Weiss Schnee. The guy's been leading you on. That's not okay."

She scoffed on instinct. "Do you really believe that Jaune has a malicious bone in his body?" she asked, flabbergasted. "He still doesn't know how I feel! I never told him! He wasn't leading me on. And," she added after a moment's thought, "that's still not a good enough reason to suddenly tell someone they should find a new place to live."

Mercury sighed, but didn't respond.

_Fine. _"Jaune told me you went to that party. He wasn't there- _you _were."

Mercury simply shrugged again, and his nonchalance was enough to drive Pyrrha mad, had she had less restraint. "Does it really matter, Nikos?" he asked loftily. "What's done is done- no one's teasing you about it, so just lay off-"

"You know what happened that night, Mercury," she said flatly, crossing her arms as she leaned back against one of the long tables in the room. "Tell me."

Mercury regarded her for a long, tense moment before he finally acquiesced. Pulling out a nearby chair, he sat down and leaned back, looking at her with a mixed expression. "I was there. Yup. So what?" When she didn't respond, however, a flash of irritation crossed his face. "You want the real story, Nikos? Fine. I was there. A friend texted me and said I should check it out, so I did. It wasn't a good party, anyways- but when I got there, who did I find but drunk little-"

"Me," Pyrrha finished for him, embarrassment heating up her cheeks like nothing else as the pieces slowly began to come together.

He nodded, smiling lightly at the memory. "Yup. Little Pyrrha Nikos, top of the class, was drunk off her ass. Couldn't find your little friends, and I couldn't just leave you there, so…"

Her mouth fell open in utter disbelief. "Wait- _you brought me back to your apartment?_"

He held up his hands in surrender. "Caught me. What was I supposed to do, throw you in a cab when you couldn't talk? I was practically holding you upright."

_Was it that bad? _She was inclined to believe it- her memory of the night stopped abruptly after getting that last drink from Ruby. There was no reason to _not _believe Mercury.

In her mind's eye, she thought back to the one picture she had managed to find of herself. _The boy in the photo with me- that was Mercury, wasn't it? _"But," she spluttered at last, "that doesn't explain how I ended up with Jaune-"

And then, it made sense.

"…did you think he'd be gone since he was staying with his sisters for the weekend?"

A hint of surprise crossed Mercury's face. "Yeah. I guess he told you that much, huh."

Pyrrha finally understood. He had brought her back and tucked her into Jaune's bed, thinking his roommate was gone for the weekend, only for his roommate to come back in the morning so drunk he didn't even notice she was there before falling asleep.

"…then why did you keep insinuating something happened?" she asked quietly after taking a moment to process this new revelation. "You could've just told me."

"I- I don't know," he admitted at last. "Look, I didn't know he was coming back that night. When I saw him there, I first wanted to just mess with you a bit, but then I started hearing that you actually liked _Jaune _of all people-"

"Why does everyone react like that?" she cried, throwing her hands up in the air, frustrated.

"Because he's an idiot, and I don't care if you like him- you deserve better," Mercury replied immediately.

She froze at those words. _I… deserve better? _ "Mercury."

"Yeah?"

"Why've you been nicer to me lately? Before the party, we never even spoke."

To her surprise, Mercury seemed almost at a loss for words as well. When he finally spoke, however, she immediately picked up on the tinge in his cheeks and the odd gruffness of his voice. He murmured embarrassedly, "You weren't… the worst… in that dress. Normally in lab you're a little too stuck-up. I guess I just felt like helping since you were actually fun for once."

_Was I really always rude to him in lab? _She certainly had never attempted to befriend him, that was certain. A twinge of regret hit her despite it all- she had never intended to come off that way.

But looking at the grey-haired boy now, seeming timid and young as he avoided her gaze, her heart melted a little. "…I guess I should thank you for that night, huh?" she said.

"You looked pretty comfortable, so I'd say yeah," he joked.

She shrugged, a small smile starting to grow on her face. "I don't know- I'd rate it 2.5 stars. Could've done with water by the bedside after that night. And the bed was comfortable, but not _that _comfortable-"

Mercury snorted, a little impressed by her retort. "Look, I was gonna set you up in my room but you went straight for Jaune's!"

As he spoke, she could vaguely imagine the layout of the apartment, remembering the two bedroom doors side-by-side- one with a blue bed, and the other being... grey? It was all such a blur, but she didn't think he was lying.

The boy continued, "If drunk-you had just _listened to me, _you would've found that mine's better. The thread count is wild."

That comment caught her completely off guard. Laughter began to rumble within her gut. Soon, she was doubled over, giggling like a madwoman while Mercury watched on, confusion on his face while she gasped for breath. "I didn't peg you as the kind of guy who cared about _thread counts-_"

His face hardened coldly, but the mirth remained in his eyes. "Bite me, Nikos."

"Don't say that- who caught all your mistakes in your section of the pre-lab booklet?"

"Okay, there's _proof _that you're kind of uppity when it comes to school-"

"I'm not!"

And the nonsensical banter continued as the pair stood, exited the student centre, and headed towards the bus stations together. By the time Pyrrha returned home, meeting a confused Nora at the door, she found herself feeling lighter than she had in weeks. Before parting, Mercury had promised to leave Jaune alone; it came with the condition that he could tell her more stories about Jaune's ridiculous actions as a roommate. "I need to vent somewhere- the guy's a moron. Don't find roommates online," the boy had glowered darkly.

And Pyrrha had scolded him for being rude to her friend anyways, because at the end of the day, Jaune was still someone she considered a good friend. She didn't regret bringing him into her life, even if her little crush was going to be unfulfilled. She had something else to focus on for the time being; she couldn't help but be excited for their partnered lab later that week. She had a feeling it was going to go much better than expected.

After all, for the first time that semester, she actually kind of liked her lab partner.

_ **-fin-** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this story! Leave a review and let me know what you think of these science nerds, and I'll see you all around in my other works! :)
> 
> Ongoing RWBY works:  
_What We Call Home_ (Renora Canon V4-6 Retelling)  
_Moments in Time_ (Arkos and Renora oneshots)  
_Calling Bluffs_ (Arkos College AU)  
_Excuse Me, Professor_ (Grad School AU)  
_Touch the Sky_ (Mercury V1-6 Retelling)
> 
> Ongoing Kingdom Hearts work:  
_Right Amount of Sugar_ (Riso, FtM!Sora Modern AU)  
_Dissonance_ (Akusai/Leasa Fantasy AU)

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think in the comments!


End file.
